10-Run DMC
9- N.W.A
8- Jay-Z
7- 50 cent
6- Eminem
5- Snoop Dogg
4- Nas
3- Dr.Dre
2- Biggie
1- 2pac

2pac is easly the greatest ever. u cant just look at words and rhymes, 2pac poured his soul into his songs, weather by anger or emotion and love. listen to ANY song by biggie and try and compare the song to the ower and soul of Changes or Dear Momma or Untill The End of Time. Take ANY biggie song and try to compare it to the anger and pure hate of Hit Em' Up. U cant Tupac Amaru Shakur is the greatest mc ever. He always will be no matter what and im to see him go. Rest in peace Tupac.

in my opinion it would have to be one of these one of these: Nas, 2pac, Eminem, Notorious B.I.G.

If i had to choose one, it would have to be Nas. All of them have just as powerful lyrics, but Nas is the most poetic.

GladRap GladRap - he the man,
No one does what GladRap can.

He big, he tough, he really cool,
But don't be callin' him no rat dance fool.

GlaRap, GladRap your my hero,
I doesn't care iffin yo IQ's zero.

When I grows up I wants to be like you,
A chowder chompin zombie - smelly too.

Gunna devote my life to mindless crap,
Jez like my hero, GladRap.

............ Bonus Blotus, May 26 2004

Yo everyone. The originals are Rapper's Delight and Afrika Bambaataa. They may have not been the VERY best the rap game has ever seen, but they, along with rap pioneers Run-DMC were closer to the beginning than anyone else.
Anyways, rap was ill back in the dayz. KRS-ONE, legendary Rakim, storyteller Slick Rick, how much better could it be?
Then we heard of this thing called 'gangsta rap' thanks to a group we know as NWA. Dr. Dre is one of the illest rap producers of our time. True, he brought up rap superstar Eminem, who is on the verge of being a rap legend. Dr. Dre has the illest beats. Props to him again for helping Snoop Dogg, who also, was one of the funkiest gangsta rappers around in his earlier years. Since Doggystyle, Snoop has been heading downhill. As for other members of NWA, gratitude to Ice Cube for helping build a musical genre.
The influences of these rappers lead to a groundbreaking climax... Two of the greatest rappers the world has ever known: Biggie and 2Pac.
Biggie had the flow and the biggest selling rap album of all time in his pocket with the help of the highly-commercialized P. Diddy. Biggie WAS BAD BOY. Bad Boy's been going downhill since BIG's death. Props to him for withstanding 2Pac's brutal burn tracks and disses. RIP playa.
Now... 2Pac... One-- if not THE greatest rapper of our times... His music was highly influenced by other rappers, but his flow was quite different. His music had heart. With it, he helped create original concepts, which are being worn down by the rappers of today's generation... (Jay-Z, 50 Cent, etc.) 2Pac was not flawless though, he was a man with bitter conflict. The experiences in his life made him make decisions which were not always right... The true 2Pac lied beyond the THUG LIFE... to a gentle, caring man. Songs such as "Dear Mama," "Changes," "Keep Ya Head Up," "Unconditional Love."... show 2Pac's inner being.
RIP 2Pac. You WERE one of the realist.
Moving on... there came to be a man we know as "Nas." Nas had the most underrated albums back in the day. No one saw it coming. Illmatic destroys all of Eminem's albums which came after Nas's killer debut. Since then, Nas has been going downhill. Obviously, Em would outshine him with his CDs.
Much as I don't like some of Em's lyrical content, I must say, the boy has skill.
As for Nas vs. Jay-Z-- it goes to Nas. Ether KILLED The Takedown. Jay-Z has some good material. Though his albums can sometimes be overrated, he holds a place as one of the better rappers in today's generation.

I don't know what's up nowadays... It's all about the cars, jewels, cash, and sex.

Overall, I gotta say... I think it's 2Pac for the greatest... His music had heart and meaning. Peace!

2 Pac he just a nancy boy,
I wanna bounce his head round like a toy.